Ann Arbor, Michigan and Marblehead, Massachusetts trip September 24 2015

Ann Arbor and Marblehead trip September 24 - October 1, 2015

"12 Lobsters"

 

by Tom P. Blake October 26, 2015

On Thursday, September 24, 2015, Nick, a limo driver that my life partner, Greta, and I had used before, picked us up at our Dana Point, California, home at 5:15 a.m. for a quick lift to John Wayne Airport. Greta and I are both retired, in our mid-70s, and trying to travel as much as we can while we are healthy enough to do so.

A US Air flight took us to Phoenix where we changed to another US Air flight to Detroit. US Air is now a part of American Airlines. Every seat was taken on both flight segments. It was fun to see several BYU football fans board the plane in Phoenix, obviously headed for the big game against my alma mater, The University of Michigan, at the Big House on the Ann Arbor campus, on Saturday, September 26. That was our destination as well.

We picked up a car at Enterprise Rent A Car at the Detroit Airport and headed for a new Holiday Inn Express on Zeeb Road, a couple of miles west of Ann Arbor. After checking in, I was itching to take a look at the campus as it had been several years since I had been there, so we drove to the sports complex that houses all of UM's sports arenas, including the Big House (seating capacity 114,000, largest college-owned stadium in the United States). We wanted to scout out where we'd be parking on Friday night for a special event at Schembechler Hall that we had been invited to.

Michigan football tradition runs in my family so I had to take this picture, halfway between the Big House and Crisler Arena. It is of a fire hydrant topped with a painted-on UM football helmut and the number 98 on it. My Mom told me I was born during the Michigan-Minnesota game on November 11, 1939, and was named after Tom Harmon, the Michigan football legend who was playing on that day. Harmon wore number 98. His son is Mark Harmon, the actor.

Tom Harmon #98 fire hydrant adjacent to Michigan Stadium

We had dinner at Metzger's, a famous Ann Arbor family restaurant known for its German food, at their location next to our Holiday Inn. Great place to eat. We were tired, it had been a long day.

Friday, September 25, 2015

I was born and raised in Jackson, Michigan, about 30 miles west of Ann Arbor. So, Greta and I drove to Jackson to spend a few hours with my childhood friend, Jimmy LeFere. Jimmy and I grew up together and did our share of hell-raising and although we attended different schools, we have remained friends for all of these years. Jimmy is a widower whose nine grandchildren keep him busy. He's a graduate of Notre Dame.

Jimmy graciously drove us around Jackson with a drive-by of the world famous Cascades, a man-made water fall that lights up at night and is a big tourist attraction. Of course, he drove us past the homes we grew up in. I was snapping pictures, enjoying the tour of Jackson. Back in the 1940s and 1950s, Jackson had a population of 50,000.

 

Now, the population is down to 35,000 or so. The decline in the Detroit auto industry has hurt cities like Jackson that were so dependent on the auto industry business. We even took a tour around nearby Clark Lake, to see the massive homes that are replacing the old cottages around the lake. This photo was taken at the Beach Bar, on the east end of the lake at lunch time.

 

Old friend Tom Blake & Jimmy Lefere - Beach Bar Clark Lake - Sept 25, 2015

Back in Ann Arbor, Friday night was special for Greta and me. Let me explain. In 1976, I was the marketing director for Victoria Station, the prime rib and boxcar national restaurant chain. I worked for the company for eight years and published a book in 2006 titled, "Prime Rib & Boxcars. Whatever Happened to Victoria Station?"

 

The company had a football award called the Wiseman Trophy, which, to be honest, was a second-guessing of the much more famous Heisman Trophy. It was my job to select the recipients of the award and in 1976, I insisted we present the award to Rob Lytle, who was the all-time leading rusher at The University of Michigan (even more yards than old 98, Tom Harmon). On December 9, 1976, Rob was awarded the trophy at the Southfield, Michigan, Victoria Station with Coach Bo Schembechler present. 

After the ceremony, this picture was taken of Rob and his wife Tracy, who was also a student at the University of Michigan.

Tracy and Rob Lytle (holding Wiseman Trophy)

After graduating from Michigan, Rob played for the Denver Broncos for 6-7 years. He was tough as nails, and yet just a wonderful, gentle, human being with a cute grin and a sly sense of humor. He and I became friends. When Denver would play the Oakland Raiders, I would meet him for dinner the night before the game in Oakland at one of our restaurants. He would bring any number of his teammates. What fun for me. 

After football, Rob returned to his native Fremont, Ohio, where he grew up. We'd touch base on the phone once in a while. I'd phone him on a Michigan game day to get his opinion on who would win. I was shocked and devastated when I picked up a Sports Illustrated magazine in November, 2010, to find out he had passed away from a heart attack at age 54.

A year ago, his son Kelly contacted me, asking permission to use the same above photo for a book he was writing about Rob. It is called, "To Dad From Kelly." It is a warm, heart-wrenching book, written by a son who so loved his father. The question of concussions to football players is raised in the book by Kelly. Rob took a lot of hits and had close to 30 surgeries as a result of football injuries.

To Dad From Kelly book cover (available on Amazon.com)

Kelly autographed individually 10 books for Greta's book club. Greta is in yellow and her friend Terri is wearing a Denver Broncos jersey. Photo below taken September 15, 2015 in Dana Point.

Greta (in yellow) and her book club holding Kelly Lytle's book

Rob Lytle will be inducted into the college football hall of fame this December. The University of Michigan decided to honor him during the halftime at the September 26 UM- BYU football weekend. I wanted to be there. It was just one of those times in life when you have to go.

The Athletic Department invited Rob's teammates back for a ceremony on Friday night. Greta and I received this wonderful invitation to that Friday night event.

 

So there Greta and I were, in the hallowed Schembechler Hall in Ann Arbor, along with 80 or so of Rob's teammates and Rob's family--his widow Tracy, whom I had met 49 years ago in Southfield, his kids Erin and Kelly and some nephews. Kelly did a great presentation honoring his Dad. I was very proud of Kelly. Greta and I were honored to be included.

 

Tom and Kelly Lytle

Later, the University sent us a collage of 186 photos taken that night.

Saturday, September 26, 2015 - The day of the big game at the Big House

Greta and I left our hotel at 9:30 a.m. and drove to my friends’ Bruce and Susan Allison’s home. I had known them since the mid-1970s when Susan’s dad, Don Lund, was the associate athletic director at Michigan. Don and I had become friends back then and had often stayed in touch. When Michigan would play in the Rose Bowl, he would often come down to my Dana Point deli. Don Lund was one of the finest gentlemen I ever met in my life. He was a very classy representative of the University of Michigan. He played three sports at Michigan, coached the Michigan baseball team, and had played for the Detroit Tigers.

On the way to the game, Susan told Greta and me that she had arranged a tour of Michigan Stadium’s new six-story press box. Oh my gosh, what an experience that was. We ended up in the sixth level in the booth where the guys are located who operate the sky camera that moves up and down the field. They use joy sticks to manuever the camera. Our view from the press box:

The University of Michigan Big House September 26, 2015

This picture was taken by me of the scene in our booth at the press box:



Sky cam men on left, Greta in the middle

And from there is where we enjoyed the entire game. Michigan beat BYU 31-0.

 

Tom, Greta, Susan Allison, Bruce Allison in press box at the Big House

At the end of the game, we remained in the press box to watch the Michigan band put on a concert right on the 50 yard line in front of the press box. This is a short video I took of that special occasion. Click on this youtube link to see and hear video.

UM band concert on u tube 

After the game, Susan and Bruce had several friends over to their home to meet us. I was reunited with Dr. Gary Sandall, reknowed ophthalmologist at the University of Michigan, and Michigan football team eye doctor for years in the 1970s era. I autographed a copy of my Victoria Station book for him at the reception. The people in Ann Arbor are just terrific.

Sunday, September 27, 2015 – It’s on to Marblehead, Massachusetts

Since Greta and I moved to Dana Point in 2014, she has used her San Clemente, California, home frequently as a vacation rental on VRBO (Vacation Rental by Owner), and as a home exchange on homeexchange.com with people who want to exchange their home for short periods of time.

While back east, we thought it would be fun to visit north of Boston for a few days at the start of the turning-of-the-leaves time of year. We did a home exchange with Barbara and Don Dennis of Marblehead. Their home fronts the Atlantic Ocean in this wonderful little city. We agreed to stay in a cute studio apartment in the back of their home. Don and Barbara were staying in the main part of their home.

We flew from Detroit and rented a car in Boston. We used Enterprise Rent a Car and rented from the Government Center in downtown Boston. By renting off-airport, you can save a substantial amount of money vs. renting at the airport. We took a taxi that cost us with tip a little less than $20. The driver was not friendly and the cab back seat did not have enough room for our legs. It was not a pleasant cab ride. We probably would not rent a car from that downtown location again.

After stopping for lunch at a waterfront restaurant in Marblehead, where we had lobster salads (of course), we went to our studio. Oh my gosh, it was beautiful and the home was beautiful.

 

View from the Marblehead home where we stayed

That night, we had a pizza delivered and just enjoyed ourselves in this great location near the water.

On Monday, Greta and I drove to Salem, and then on to Gloucester, the oldest seaport in the United States. We stopped to see the Fisherman's Statue, with its poignant message: "They that go down to the sea in ships."

Tom at Fisherman's Statue in Gloucester September 28, 2015

This statue had special meaning to me in that my great grandfather and grandfather were ship captains on the Great Lakes and both went down with their ships. 

From there, we drove to Rockport, Massachusetts. Another wonderful New England seaport city. It was a glorious day; the weather was about 80 degrees.

 

Famous Red historical building - Rockport, Mass.

On the way back to Marblehead, we stopped in Salem at the last remaining Victoria Station restaurant. When I introduced myself to the manager, Elizabeth Collett, she was so gracious to meet one of the original employees of the company. She has been there for seven years. We had a delicious prime rib dinner, just like the old, glory days of Victoria Station.



Greta, Tom, and Manager Elizabeth

Be sure to stop in there when you travel nearby and say hello to Elizabeth. The restaurant is located at 86 Wharf Street, just a quarter mile from The House of The Seven Gables, that Nathaniel Hawthorne made famous with his book of the same name, about the Salem Witch Trials.

On Tuesday, we went kayaking right in front of the house and over to Crowningshield Island. If you go to the island, don’t stay too long as the tide goes out and you wouldn’t be able to paddle back. You could walk back carrying the kayak. In the afternoon, we took time to look around Marblehead and visit stores and shops. Be sure to include Crosby's Market in Marblehead. It has everything you need and the food choices are yummy.

Tuesday night, our hosts prepared a dinner for us that was quite special. Don went diving for fresh lobsters and that's what we had to eat. When the word "Dinner's ready," came from the kitchen, a large plate with 12 lobsters was placed on the dining room table. That meant three per person. Oh were they fresh and good! And Barbara did an incredible potato dish to go along with the tasty red guys.

 

On Wednesday, it was pouring rain. But, there was a two-hour break in the afternoon so we scooted back up to Salem to take a tour of The House of The Seven Gables that our host Don Dennis arranged for us. It is worth your time. Fascinating history and a neat historical visit.

Greta waiting to go into the House of the Seven Gables
 

The House of the Seven Gables

On Thursday, we headed to Logan Airport. I had called Enterprise the day before and told them our flight was moved to an earlier departure time (we had to be at the airport by 5:15 a.m.) so they let us return the car directly to the airport instead of dropping it off at the Government Center and then having to take a taxi (hopefully, not the same one that drove us there on the Sunday morning before). Very nice of Enterprise to do that for us. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare and to have a New England breakfast.

In Orange County, our limo driver Nick was waiting for us at John Wayne Airport. It had been a wonderful one-week trip. And remember, "Go Blue.!"